Toy for Joy needs nearly $90,000 to meet its $150,000 goal
12/18/12 Ludlow- Republican Photo by Mark M.Murray - Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe, right, along with Primary Captain Christopher Walker, left and Correctional Case Worker Anita Goncalves, center, pose with the check for the annual Toy For Joy Fund.
SPRINGFIELD - The Toy for Joy gift campaign needs nearly $90,000 to meet its $150,000 goal by noon on Christmas Eve Day
Now in its 90th year, Toy for Joy is sponsored by The Republican and the Salvation Army. This year, approximately 3,000 Greater Springfield families signed their children up for the campaign after Thanksgiving. Salvation Army units from Holyoke, Westfield, Northampton and Greenfield are also participating.
Toy company Hasbro joined as partner last year, and has donated a portion of the toys for the program. The remainder is funded through the generosity of readers of The Republican and Masslive.com.
The most recent batch of donations tally to $9,717, bringing the total raised to date to $60,790.
Recent donations include $5,000 from the Hampden County Correctional Center inmates’ commissary fund, which has donated to Toy for Joy for many years.
Sheriff Michael J. Ashe said the commissary fund is accrued through the sales of coffee, snacks, envelopes and the like. The donation is an especially appropriate one because a number of the inmates children have brighter Christmases thanks to Toy for Joy, he said.
“There is a feeling from our inmates that they are involved in Christmas and they are all giving back,” Ashe said. “Toy for Joy brings everybody together, it unites us all. It’s fantastic.”
Other recent donations include $115 from a group billing itself as the Aqua Babes at the Ludlow Boys and Girls Club and $700 from Alpha Oil in Wilbraham.
Jim Diotalevi, owner of Alpha Oil, said the company has donated smaller amounts to Toy for Joy for years. This year, Diotalevi told his 16 employees, who typically chip in to buy a Christmas present for him every year, to collect instead for Toy for Joy and that he would then match the amount.
“They collect for a present for me every year,” said the 73-year-old Diotalevi. “What could I want that I don’t already have? I have been in business for 52 years, I have an exceptionally great family and employees who are very thoughtful and generous in dealing with my customers.”
This year, the registration and toy distribution portion of the program is being overseen by Salvation Army Capts. John and Ronda Ferreira, who took over this summer as co-commanders of the citadel from Thomas and Linda-Jo Perks, who have been reassigned to the Midwest.
For more information, call 733-7581. To make a contribution to the Toy for Joy fund, write: Toy for Joy, P.O. Box 3007, Springfield 01102. Contributions may also be dropped off with the coupon at The Republican, 1860 Main St., Springfield, weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. until Dec. 21.
Here’s a list of the latest contributors:
- Happy Holidays from the Hampden County Jail Inmates Commissary Fund , $5,000
- In memory of Ronnie, Denis and Wayne Guiel from Sandy , $20
- Merry Christmas from Marissa, Gabby, Audry, Bella, Gian, Maya, Layo and Richard , $50
- In memory of my Cioci Mickey from her niece Cheryl , $25
- The Clorans , $20
- In memory of our beloved Erin, a ray of sunshine , $50
- In loving memory of my sister Alice from Jim , $25
- In memory of Gramma and Grampa Boyer, love Peter and Halina , $100
- In loving memory of Pop from Trev, Jo, Dan, Pete, Mike, Liz and John , $50
- In memory of my beloveds, my husband JK, Mom and Gramps , $50
- In memory of Scoopy , $25
- In memory of Steve and Mom , $20
- From Bambi the wonder dog and Pat , $25
- In honor of my grandchildren Mari, Presley, Clark and Brennan, love Gramme , $25
- In loving memory of Kathy MacNeish, missing you Wendy , $25
- In loving memory of the Clark-Whyte families, Wendy , $25
- In memory of Rita A. Chmura , $25
- In memory of loved ones lost, we love you, Fran and Virginia , $25
- With thanks for all our blessings , $25
- Merry Christmas from the Fleming family in Southampton , $200
- Merry Christmas Hladchuk family , $50
- In memory of Max and Gen Roas and Gino and Anita Bacchiocci , $100
- Eleanor Egan, 13 amazing grandchildren, we miss and love you , $15
- In memory of Lucille G. Tabb , $25
- Missing my big dog Lance , $10
- Thank you St. Jude for prayers answered, JM , $20
- In loving memory of Leo, the love of my life from JKR , $15
- In memory of my brother Ed Scagel from his sister Anne Mc , $20
- In memory of the children killed in CT shooting , $20
- For my granddaughters , $50
- In memory of our beloved son Paul Woishnis from Mom and Dad , $10
- Happy Holidays, thank you for the blessing of wonderful neighbors from Donna , $20
- In memory of Rachel, a cat who loved Christmas , $2
- Jackiebear , $5
- In memory of Cosimo and Jennie Baggetta and George, Jane and Donna Carpenter, love from Albert and Beverly , $50
- From 12 angels , $30
- Anonymous , $100
- Missing Colleen Goddard and all the Busy Bee family , $25
- Kelly , $10
- In memory of our good friend and educator John Slasinski , $25
- Merry Christmas from all the employees at Alpha Oil Company , $700
- Happy Holidays from AFSCME Local 17 , $25
- Roy , $25
- Children are our dearest treaasure, $25
TOTAL TO DATE, $60790.62
STILL NEEDED, $89209.38